Kara Penniman

"My co-workers wouldn't recognize me," says Kara
Penniman, by day a social worker at Churchill and South
Eugene high schools. "I help kids and families in crisis.
It's what I always wanted to do." Four nights a week,
Penniman transforms into Burnadeath of the Flat Track Furies
when the Emerald City Roller Girls work out at the Regional
Sports Center in Springfield. Last winter, when Penniman was
feeling lonely and low, her sister in Baltimore suggested
she look at roller derby. "A group of us saw the Rose City
Rollers in Portland and I was hooked," she says. "I hadn' t
exercised in 20 years." Emails and a post on Craig's List
drew six people to a first meeting in January. Ten months
later, ECRG has grown to 75 members and three teams, plus an
additional 25 newbies or "fresh meat," according to league
founder and president Burnadeath. "Most of us had never
played team sports before," she says. "We like to say,
'Roller derby saved my soul.'" ECRG's first public bout, in
October, sold out in 30 minutes. The next is set for
February 17. Learn how you can be fresh meat at
emeraldcityrollergirls.com.